Automatic means for draining steam engines



Dec. 26, 1922. 1,439,854

L. N. VINCENT. AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR DRAINING STEAM ENGINES.

FILED car. 20. 1921.

24 2.5 17 14 17 16 LOU/S/Yfi/YCE/Y act descri tion of the invention, su'c Patented ne za 1922.

1,439,854 PATENT once,

LOUIS N, VINCENT, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO IMPERIAL STEAM APPLIANCE COMPANY, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION.

AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR DRAINING STEAM ENGINES.

'- Application filed October 20, 19,211 Serial No. 509,127.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs N. VINCENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Means for Drainin Steam Engines; and 1- do declare the fol owing to be a full, cleariland exenable ot ers skilled inthe artto which it ertains to make and use same.

y invention relates to improvements in automatic means for drainin engines, and more particularly for drainlng the steam chest and steam cylinder, etc., of a steam engine of the water of condensation and for draining a multiple of steam chests andsteam cylinders of a steam engine or steam engines of the water of condensation.

It is well known that the presence of steam saturated With water, or water of condensation in the steam chest and steam cylinder gine when at rest is frequently started up by a leaky throttle valve, andthe object of my invention is to correct or obviate these faults by providing means for draining, ex-' hausting or eliminating from the steam chest and steam cylinder of an engine, or a multiple of steam chests and steam cylinders of a steam engine or steam engines, all the water of condensation which may collect therein, due either to the leakage of the throttle valve or other steam inlet valve or other cause, and at the same time prevent the water of condensation from returning to v the steam chest. or cylinder after being is simple, inexpensive and durable in construction and efi'ective and easy in operation.

The invention conslsts in the several features and in the construction, combination as will and arrangement of such features as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings: I

Flg. 1 is a central verticallsectional view taken through the cylinder-and steam chest of a steam engine, some of the parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, showing my inventlon as it appears when draining a multiple of, steam engine cylinders and steam chests.

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the exhaust valve. 7

In the drawings, in which similar referor steam cylinder of a steam engine of well known type provided with a piston 2 having a piston rod 3, packing 1, combined steam inlet and outlet passages 5, 5, steam exhaust or outlet passage 6, outlet passages 6, 6 for the exhaust of water of condensation,

a steam chest 7 having a D slidevalve 8 with cavity 8 and operating rod 9, steam inlet pipe 10 provided with a throttle or steam inlet valve 11, vertical pipes 12 and 13 connected at their upper ends 14, respectively, with the water outlet passages 6, 6 and their lower ends with a horizontal main drain pipe 15', and intermediate their ends the vertical ipes 12 and 13 each provided with a norma ly open gravity valve 16 closed automatically by means of the back pressure of the steam from the steamchest through pipe 17 and ipes 15, 12 and 13, these valves controlling t e exhaust of water of condensation from the cylinder into an exhaust 1 e. p vertical pipe 17 is provided for the steam chest 7, the upper end connected to and communicating with the steam chest 7 at '18 and the lower end connected to and communicating with the horizontal pipe 15 at 19.

A vertical pipe 20 is.connected to pipe 15 at point 21 and is provided with a normally open valve 22 having a spring 23 for keeping it;normal ly open. This valve 22 allows the exhaust water of condensation to pass through the same to the exhaust plpe 25, but is closed automatically by means of the back pressure of the steam.

It will be noted that this single valve 22 is capable of performing its functions equally as well with a multiple of steam chests and cylinders, see Fi 2, as with a single steam chest and cylin er, see Fig. 1.

A vertical by-pass pipe 24 is connected to the horizontal pipe 15 at the upper endand at the lower end is connected to and commr'iicates with the exhaust pipe 25 below the valve 22, and 26 is a by-pass hand valve which, when opened sufliciently, reduces the back pressure of the steam against the water exhaust valves 16, the valve. 22 thus permitting them to open and drain the cylinder while the engine is working and the steam pressure is on.

By the use of the drain pipe 17 the condensed steam or water of condensation is drained directly from the steam chest 7 without being allowed to pass into the piston cylinder and by use of the valves 16, 16 and valve 22, by-pass 24 and hand valve 26 the condensed steam or water of condensation is drained from the piston cyl-' inder, this latter being for the reason that the steam passes through pipe 17 from the steam chest into pipes 15, 12, 13 and 20 and the back pressure thereof on the valves 22, 16 and 16 closes them and the exhaust of steam through the by-pass 24, when its pressure against valves 16, 16 and 22 is reduced by opening the hand valve 26, causes the valves 16, 16 and 22 to open and the water of condensation passes from the pis-- ipes the ton cylinder through valves 16, 16, 12 and 13, by-pass 24 and out throug exhaust pipe 25 below valve 22.

The back pressure in the pi e 15 of the steam from the chest 7, and a so from the piston cylinder, forces valves 16, 16 onto their seats and holds them there until the engine throttle is closed. It very often happens when the engine ispriming or being started up after standing a while and getting cold that the cylinders condense and accumulate a quantity of water, even while the pressure of steam is on, which is very dangerous and frequently results in the blowing out of the cylinder heads by the pressure of the piston against the accumulated water, and, in order to obviate or correct this condition, I use the by-pass 24 and its hand valve 26 as hereinbefore described.

By opening the hand valve 26 partially or fully the back pressure in the pipes 15, 12 and 13 is proportionately reduced, allowing the valves 16, 16 and 22 to open slightly or fully, as required, and causing'some of the steam to pass through valve 26, the bypass 24, around valve 22 and out through the exhaust pipe 25, thus draining out all the surplus water from the cylinder.

Another important use for which the bypass and valve 26 are used is that it sometimes happens that a locomotive is at rest in a roundhouse with the throttle closed and the eng neer leaves for the night that the throttle valve- Will leak and steam will escape from the boiler throu h the leaky throttle valve into the steam c est and pass from thence through the pipes leading to the valve 22, causing said valve to become seated and causing a back pressure to accumulate and close the valves 16, 16 and prevent the water from being drained automatically out of the cylinder and steam chest.

To prevent such a condition all the engineer has to do is to reduce the back pressure by opening the hand valve 26 and the water will drain off as hereinbe-fore described.

In starting a locomotive by means of the pressure of the steam resulting from a leaky throttle the engineer may by leaving the hand valve 26 open before he quits cause the accumulated pressure of the steam leaking through the throttle to pass through the hand valve 26 and out through the bypass 24 to the exhaust pipe 25 as fast as it accumulates, thus preventing the steam from acquiring suflicient pressure to start the engine while. the en ineer is absent.

The operation is as fo lows:

The engine being in operation and the piston being in the position shown, there is spent steam to its right and live steam is entering the steam chest 7 from the boilerthrough pipe 10, and as the D slide valve -8 moves to the right the passage 5 is uncovered, admitting the live steam on the left of the piston 2 and at the same time the cavity 8' therein establishes communication between the passage 5 and outlet'passage 6, whereupon live steam will force the piston to the right and the spent steam will be exhausted from the cylinder through the passage 5' and out through the outlet passage 6. When the D slide valve moves to the left the passage 5 is uncovered, admitting the live steam on the right of the piston 2 and at the same time the cavity 8 therein establishes communication between the passage 5 and the outlet passage 6, whereupon live steam will force the piston to the left and the spent steam will be exhausted from the cylinder through the passage 5 andout through the outlet pas- 13, closing the valve 22 against the action of the spring 23 and closing the valves 16, 16, whereupon, the hand valve 26 being opened, partiallyor fully as desired, part or all of the steam will accordingly pass from pipes 15, 20, 12 and 13 through the by-pass 24 and out of the exhaust pipe 25 below the valve.22, relieving the pressure upon the valves 16, 16 and 20 partially or 'entirely and allowing them to open accordingly partially or entirely, and the water of condensation will exhaust from the cylinder into and through the exhaust pipe and the water of condensation will be exhausted from the'steam chest through pipe 17 into pipe 15 and therefromthrough the valve 22 into and out of exhaust pipe 25.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific details of construe tion and arrangement as herein described and illustrated. as it is manifest that variations and modifications may be made in the features of construction and arrangement in the adaptation of the device to the various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scope. of my invention and improvement.

\Vhat I claim is: p

1. In a device for draining the'water 0 condensation from steam engines, a steam Chest, a steam cylinder, normally open valves for draining'the Water of condensation from the cylinder adapted to be closed by back pressure of steam, means for reducing the back pressure of the steam against said normally open valves and allowing them to open and drain the water of condensation from the cylinder, and means for draining the steam chest.

2. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a steam cylinder, normally open valves for draining the water of condensation from the cylinder, means for causing back pressure of steam against said normally open valves to close the same, and means for reducing the backpressure of steam against said valves and allowing them to open and drain the water of. condensation from the cylinder.

3. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a steam cylinderenormally open valves for draining the Water of condensation from the cylinder, means for causing back pressure of steam against said normally open valves to close the same, means for reducing the back pressure of steam against said valves and allowing them to open and drain the Water of condensation from the cylinder, and. means for draining the steam chest.

4. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a. steam chest, a steam cylinder, normally open valves for draining the water of condensation from the cylinder adapted .to be closed by back pressure of steam, and a by-pass for reducing the back pressure of the steam against said normally open valves and allowing them to open and drain the water of condenstion from the cylinder.

5. In a device for drainingthe water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a steam cylinder, normally open valves for draining the water of condensation from the cylinder adapted to be closed by back pressure of steam, a by-pass for reducing the back pressure of the steam against said normally open valves and allowing them to open and drain the water of condensation from the cylinder, and means for draining the steam chest.

6. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a steam cylinder, normally open valves for draining the water of condensation from the cylinder, means for causing back pressure of steam against said normally open valves to close the same, and a by-pass for reducing the back pressure of steam against said normally open valves and allowing them to open and drain the Water of condensation from the cylinder.

7. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a steam cylinder, normally open valves for draining the Water of condensation from the cylinder, means for causing back pressure of steam against said normally open valves to close the same, a bypass for reducing the back pressure of steam against said normally open valves and allowing them to open and drain the water of condensation from the cylinder, and means for draining the steam chest.

8. In a device for draining the Water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a steam cylinder, valves controlling the exhausting of Water of condensation from the cylinder closed by steam pressure, and means for reducing said steam pressure to allow said valves to open and exhaust the Water of condensation from the steam cylinder. y

9. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a steam cylinder, valves controlling the exhausting of water of condensation from the cylinder closed by steam pressure, means for reducing said steam pressure to allow said valves to open and exhaust the Water of condensation from the steam cylinder, and means for exhausting the water of condensation from the steam chest.

10. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a steam cylinder, valves controlling the exhausting of Water of condensation from the cylinder closed by steam pressure,

' and a by-pass for reducing said steam prespipe connected to said connecting pipe and provided with a normally open valve, a bypass connected to said connecting pipe and the exhaust ipe forming a communication with said exiiaust pipe around the valve in the exhaust pipe.

13. In a device for draining the Water of condensation from steam engines, a steam cylinder and steam chest, water outlet pipes, with valves, connected to the water outlets of the cylinder, a pipe connecting said outlet pipes, a pipe connected to the steam chest at one end and the connecting pipe at the other end, an exhaust pipe connected to said connecting pipe and provided with a valve, a b -pass connected to said connecting pipe an the exhaust pipe forming a communication with said exhaust pipe and connecting pipe around the valve in the exhaust pipe.

14. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a drain pipe, a supplementary drain pipe connected to the first mentioned drain pipe and the steam chest, an exhaust pipe, and means forming a communication between said supplementary drain pipe and the exhaust pipe.

15. In a device for draining the Water of condensation from steam engines, a main drain pipe connecting the water outlets from the steam cylinder and provided with an exhaust pipe having a valve, valves for said outlets, a supplementary drain pipet connnunicating with the main drain pipe and the steam chest, and a by-pass pipe connected with the main drain pipe and exhaust n )e. 1 16. In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a drain pipe having drain valves adapted to be closed by back pressure of steam, and means for reducing the back pressure of steam in said drain pipe and causing said drain valves to open.

17 In a device for draining the water of condensation from steam engines, a steam chest, a piston cylinder communicating therewith, drain pipes connected to said piston cylinder each having a drain valve, a

drain pipe connected to the steam chest, a main drain pipe connecting the drain pipes of the piston cylinder and the drain ipe of the steam chest, an exhaust pipe and valve therefor. and means for reducing back pressure of steam in the drain pipes, thereby allowing the said drain valves to open and drain the steam chest and piston cylinder.

18. In an engine, a motive fluid supply, a motive fluid cylinder, means controlling the exhaust of condensation from said cylinder, means operated by motive fluid from said supply to close said exhaust controlling means and means for reducing the pressure of motive fluid against said exhaust controlling means, to allow said exhaust controlling means to open and xhaust the condensation from said cylinder.

19. In an en ine, a motive fluid supply, a motive fluid cy linder, means controlling the exhaust of condensation from said cylinder,

means operated by motive fluid from said supply to close said exhaust controlling means and means for reducing the pressure of motive fluid against said exhaust controlling means, to allow said exhaust controlling means to open and exhaust the condensation from saidcylinder, and means for exhausting the condensation from said motive fluid supply.

20. In an engine, a motive fluid supply, a motive fluid cylinder, means controlling the exhaust of condensation from said cylinder, means operated by motive fluid from said supply to close said exhaust controlling means and a by-pass for reducing the pressure of motive fluid against said exhaust controlling means to allow said exhaust controlling means to exhaust the condensation from said cylinder.

21. In an engine, a motive fluid supply, a motive fluid cylinder, means controlling the exhaust of condensation from said cylinder,

means operated by motive fluid from said supply to close said exhaust controlling means and a by-pass for reducing the pressure of motive fluid against said exhaust controlling means to allow said exhaust controlling means to exhaust the condensation from said cylinder, and means for exhausting the condensation from motive fluid supply.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

LOUIS N. VINCENT. In the presence of-- RUDOLPH L. F ORRER, M. I. JAoonsoN. 

